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Those who grew up in the ‘90s would have heard and possibly even watched “Dawson’s Creek”, the television show that chronicles the lives of a group of teenage friends, their romantic lives and their journey from their younger days to college. “Dawson’s Creek” sat alongside other popular television shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “7th Heaven”, due to how the themes were presented and explored. In Malaysia, the television show aired on one of the local television channels. The show ran for six seasons from 1998-2003.

Today, Malaysians based in the country would have woken up to the news of James Van Der Beek’s passing from colorectal (bowel) cancer. Tributes continue to pour for Van Der Beek, as many in the film and television fraternity remember him mainly for his role and work in “Dawson’s Creek”. Co-stars of the show include Katie Holmes, who played his best friend and love interest. The theme song “I Don’t Want to Wait” (for life to be over) will hold much more significance now, especially because it reminds us to live life to the fullest without hesitation, always cherish the present, what is in front of us, no matter how small the moment may be.

His work in film included “Labour Day” (2013), “Varsity Blues” (1998) and “Bad Hair Day” (2020).

Van Der Beek has mixed ancestry including Dutch, French, German and Scots-Irish.

There was a “Dawson’s Creek” class reunion in September 2025, which Van Der Beek had to forgo due to his health. It marked the first meet for almost all cast members, since the show’s finale in 2003. The class reunion was also an opportunity where cast members and his family raised awareness for the illness that he was having, since the diagnosis in 2023. A few of his close family members were at the in-person event.

From one of his Instagram posts, Van Der Beek himself said, “Laughter is the best medicine”, while mentioning that he had played the role of a doctor on TV. The post was accompanied by a video of his little one laughing. Towards the end of his post, he said that he should laugh more. You could see he was trying to be more appreciative of the little things during what turned out to be the last few months of his life.

Van Der Beek will forever be remembered for the lives he touched and his presence, even if he’s just in the fictional world of film and television.

Van Der Beek leaves behind six children, his wife, and a variety of films and television shows.